But the men put forth their hands and brought Lot into the house to them: But contrasts the action outside with what is about to take place inside. The men refers to the two angels. So Good News Translation and Revised English Bible say “the two men inside”; we may also say “the two strangers there inside” or “the two angels.”

The narrator does not say that the men opened the door before pulling Lot inside. He does, however, say that they closed the door after him. In some languages reaching out without first opening the door will be difficult to understand, particularly when the door is closed later. Therefore translators may find it necessary to say “reached out through the open door” or “opened the door and reached out….” The purpose of their reaching out is to pull or bring Lot back inside the house with them.

And shut the door is the final step in rescuing Lot from the crowd.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .